SPORT & SKILLS FOR LIFE IN PRIMARY AT HAUT-LAC

At Haut-Lac International Bilingual School, physical education plays a crucial role in the development of young children. It is not just about staying active. It is an integral part of the curriculum that enables children to both develop their physical and personal skills and shape their character.

We do teach kids how to run or kick a ball, but more importantly we foster a love for movement that will lead to solid foundational skills and healthy habits.

EN FRANCAIS

From the youngest E1-E3 pupils to the older P1-P5 students, every child is given the opportunity to build confidence, health and fitness, while acquiring values that will serve them well in and out of the classroom.

A Balanced Approach to Physical Education

Our E1-E3 children engage in two 30-minute sports lessons a week, while P1-P5 students have two 45-minute lessons. This consistency ensures each child moves regularly, challenges themself and stays healthy. 

Aside from the obvious physical and health reasons, the Haut-Lac sports curriculum is designed to teach children essential life skills through a range of exciting and engaging activities like:  

Team Games & Sports: Students learn to outmanoeuvre their competitors in a fair and respectful way through games and sports that require strategic thinking and quick decision-making.

Skiing: P1-P5 children build resilience and confidence during an exciting ski programme that gets them to step outside their comfort zone. It is a unique opportunity for young learners to develop their skiing skills, learn about mountain safety, and foster sportsmanship by engaging in a friendly  inter-house ski competition. 

Swimming: E2-P5 children go swimming once a week for half a term to develop their swimming technique and learn about water safety. They follow the local Swiss swimming programme and are awarded end-of-level certificates for their achievement. 

Creative & Artistic Activities: Physical education also includes activities that encourage expression through movement to help boost children's creativity and coordination.

Building Core Values in Physical Education

In each lesson, students focus on learning and honing tactics and skills. They do more than master specific sports; they develop skills that will serve them throughout their lives like problem-solving, leadership, teamwork and the ability to handle both success and failure with grace.

Developing sportsmanship and character in this way helps students build a positive mindset that extends beyond the classroom and into their everyday lives

Promoting Multilingualism Through Sport

A unique aspect of Haut-Lac School's PE curriculum is the emphasis on multilingualism. Given the school’s diverse student body, PE lessons incorporate multiple languages to reflect the school’s commitment to fostering bilingual and multilingual learners.

Children learn sports-related vocabulary in both French and English, helping them not only develop physical skills but also improve their linguistic abilities. The children celebrated their mother tongue by providing a commentary on their team performance to fellow students. All were therefore able to learn new vocabulary related to different sports, and practice language skills in a real-world, practical context.

Creating Connections Through Cross-Curricular Learning

Another specificity of the Haut-Lac School sports programme is it's cross-curricular approach.  Whether students are exploring the science of movement in biology, analysing sports statistics in math, PE provides rich opportunities for interdisciplinary learning.

For example, some of our MYP students helped teach our E2 students skills while collecting data for their work on statistics in maths.

This cross-curricular approach helps students see the connections between different areas of learning, making their education more meaningful and integrated. It also fosters a holistic approach to education, where physical, academic and social skills work together to build well-rounded individuals.

Fostering Teamwork, Leadership and Good Sportsmanship

Haut-Lac students not only develop their physical skills but also learn to work as a team, develop leadership qualities, and understand the value of friendly competition through two types of competition.

1. In-House Competitions
   Every child at Haut-Lac School belongs to one of four houses: Bern, Fribourg, Jura and Valais. By working as a team during inter-house football, badminton and uni-hockey competitions to name but a few, they are more likely to earn points for their respective Houses and win the House trophy at the end of the year. It's a great way to have fun and build a sense of identity and belonging.
   
   
2. Inter-School Competitions
   P2-P5 children can also represent the school against peers from other school in sports, such as gymnastics, netball, basketball, football, volleyball, skiing, cross-country, badminton, tennis and athletics. This gives them the opportunity to showcase their skills, teamwork and sportsmanship, as well as an exciting platform through which to challenge themselves and build strong athletic and personal growth.

Concluding remarks

Physical education at Haut-Lac International Bilingual School is about more than just movement - it's about fostering growth, confidence and connection.

Students develop resilience, teamwork and a love for staying active through a varied and engaging curriculum. Whether competing in friendly matches, learning new skills, or exploring sports in multiple languages, they gain invaluable experiences that shape both their character and their future.

Annabel Hayward
Primary Sports Leader